World Climate

World Climate enables participants to experience the dynamics that emerge as nations negotiate a global agreement on climate change and to develop a deeper understanding of how to address climate change. The exercise is framed by current climate change science, through the interactive C-ROADS computer simulation, enabling participants to find out how their decisions impact the global climate system in real-time.

World Climate is:

Suitable for secondary school, universities, community groups, executive leaders, scientists and everyone in between

Resources

How Does World Climate Work?

World Climate is a highly simplified international climate change negotiations meeting. Each participant plays the role of a delegate representing a specific nation or region of the world, or, in some cases, an interest group. Everyone must then work together, in their respective roles, to reach a global agreement that successfully addresses climate change (e.g., to limit warming to 2˚ C above preindustrial times by 2100).

Exercises vary in length, but most run from 1-3 hours.

Learning Outcomes

Participants dive into a simulation in Costa Rica.
Source: COP in MyCity

Participants in a World Climate simulation quickly learn the policy-relevant science of climate change, viscerally experience the geopolitical and social dynamics of climate negotiations, and personally engage in crafting a solution, while taking a realistic look at the scale of changes ahead as we shift to a low-carbon global economy.

Dynamics of the climate system (including relevant feedbacks, tipping points, and time delays)

What it will take to meet the 2°C goal

Psychological responses to complex problems

Systems thinking.

Who’s Using World Climate

Thousands around the world have participated in the World Climate Exercise since its debut. Audiences have included: Nobel-prize winning scientists, former Secretary of State George Schultz, university presidents, European Union policymakers, oil executives, the U.S. Forest Service, members of The Climate Group, MIT Executive MBA students, and countless classrooms from high schools to colleges. The international youth think tank CliMates even runs the campaign COP in MyCity for young people around the world to lead World Climate in their communities and link efforts to advance international climate policy.

Dr. Peter Senge debriefing World Climate exercise

Feedback we’ve heard

“From an instructors perspective I found the support materials very helpful and brought to life a topic that I have taught previously to classes with high levels of interest but without such broad engagement – every student seemed switched on today.”- Dr. John Broderick, Research Fellow, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Manchester

“All the students were enthusiastic about this experience and want to do it again this year! I received a lot of positive feedback and, most importantly, several students wrote to tell me how they now want, through their studies, to fight against climate change. One student even switched his plans for college so as to pursue a degree in environmental studies.”- Laurent Richard, mathematics teacher at the International School of Boston

“[Climate Interactive’s] software speaks numbers, not spin – and in the end it’s the numbers that count.”- Bill McKibben, Founder, 350.org

If you have developed any additional materials or variations on World Climate we would be delighted to hear about it. Please contact us.